Ports

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list ports which are (a) compliant and (b) non-compliant under the International Ship and Port Security Code.

Stephen Ladyman: There are over 500 port facilities in the United Kingdom that are compliant under the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code. The names of the facilities have been lodged in the Library in the document titled "ISPS Compliant Port Facilities in the UK".
	The ISPS Code applies to port facilities serving passenger ships and cargo ships over 500 Gross Tonnes engaged on international voyages and domestic Class A ferries which travel more than 20 nautical miles from the UK coastline.

Rail Franchises

Denis Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his Department plans to publish the consultants' final report on the review of the Northern Rail franchise; whether its recommendations will be incorporated into the 2006 rail timetable planning conference; and if he will make a statement on the implications of the review for the "Northern Way" initiative.

Derek Twigg: Work on the review of the Northern Rail franchise is proceeding, and I expect to announce proposals for consultation early next year. The consultation will seek the views of organisations involved in the "Northern Way" initiative.

Schools (Peak-time Traffic)

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what support his Department is providing to initiatives to reduce the amount of peak time traffic around schools in (a) the Tees Valley and (b) the Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland constituency.

Derek Twigg: The Government want to reduce the present level of car use for journeys to and from school and make it possible for more pupils to walk, cycle or use public transport. The Department for Transport and Department for Education and Skills are providing support to all local authorities in England to help them achieve this through their joint "Travelling to School" project.
	As part of the project both Departments are providing joint funding (£7.5 million a year) to local authorities to enable them to employ school travel advisers to work with schools and help them develop and implement school travel plans and other initiatives to reduce car use. In addition, the Department for Education and Skills is awarding small capital grants (from a fund of £20 million a year) to schools with approved school travel plans to enable them to make improvements to school sites that will encourage sustainable travel to school. Both funding for school travel advisers and small capital grants was originally awarded for the period April 2004 to March 2006 but was extended earlier this year to March 2008.

Waterways

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidelines he has issued to users of waterways on the definition of the term commercial.

Stephen Ladyman: The term commercial, applied to a vessel, is generally explained as any vessel which is not a pleasure vessel.
	The term "pleasure vessel" is defined, in the Merchant Shipping (Marine Accident Reporting and Investigation) Regulations 2005 as:
	"pleasure vessel" means any vessel which is
	(i) wholly owned by an individual or individuals and used only for the sport or pleasure of the owner or the immediate family or friends of the owner; or
	(ii) owned by a body corporate and used only for the sport or pleasure of employees or officers of the body corporate, or their immediate family or friends, and is on a voyage or excursion which is one for which the owner is not paid for or in connection with operating the vessel or carrying any person, other than as a contribution to the direct expenses of the operation of the vessel incurred during the voyage or excursion; or
	(iii) any vessel which is wholly owned by or on behalf of a members' club formed for the purpose of sport or pleasure which, at the time it is being used, is used only for the sport or pleasure of members of that club or their immediate family, and for the use of which any charges levied are paid into club funds and applied for the general use of the club;
	and no payments other than those mentioned are made by or on behalf of the users of the vessel, other than by the owner, and in this definition, "immediate family" means, in relation to an individual, the husband, wife or civil partner of the individual, and a brother, sister, ancestor or lineal descendant of that individual or of that individual's husband, wife or civil partner.

Global Interactive Entertainment

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the UK's position within the global interactive entertainment market place; and what steps he is taking to prevent the relocation overseas of UK-based interactive entertainment corporations.

Alun Michael: In 2002 the DTI published a detailed study of the competitiveness of the UK computer games industry entitled "From Exuberant Youth to Sustainable Maturity". A copy was placed in the Libraries of the House. The analysis confirms that the UK has a vibrant and valuable computer games industry.
	DTI works closely with UK Trade and Investment and the sector in focusing its efforts on maintaining the UK's position as a centre of excellence for the global electronic interactive games industry. The UK is a free and open market for international business so the Government does not seek to inhibit companies from placing their global business in the location that best suits their need.

Household Energy Bills

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average annual household bill has been for (a) gas and (b) electricity in each year since 1997.

Malcolm Wicks: The average annual standard credit household bills for gas and electricity for each year since 1997 are shown in the following table:
	
		
			   £ 
			  Electricity Gas 
		
		
			 1997 285 328 
			 1998 268 315 
			 1999 264 305 
			 2000 257 295 
			 2001 250 293 
			 2002 249 310 
			 2003 250 320 
			 2004 257 333 
			 2005 284 383 
		
	
	Note:
	Gas bills are calculated using an annual consumption of 18,000 kWh, electricity bills a consumption of 3,300 kWh. Figures are inclusive of VAT. Figures for 2005 bills for both fuels are provisional. These figures are in cash terms.
	Source:
	Quarterly Energy Prices, DTI.

Magazine Distribution

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations the Office of Fair Trading has received from the European Commission on the legality of magazine distribution in the UK.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The EU Commission submitted views to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) on the application of EU Competition Law to agreements on the distribution of newspapers and magazines, in response to the OFT's consultation document "Newspaper, Magazine Distribution—Public Consultation on draft opinion of OFT" issued 19 May 2005.

Uranium

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the remaining unmined supplies of uranium across the world; and how many years' supply of uranium for nuclear power stations this represents should power generation continue at present levels.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department of Trade and Industry has made no estimate of the global supply of uranium or of the number of years that uranium could be supplied.
	The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Nuclear Energy Agency and the International Atomic Energy Agency has published a report examining uranium production. The report, "Uranium 2003: Resources, Production and Demand"(2004) edition can be viewed at the OECD Bookshop website under Statistics Publications:
	http://www.oecdbookshop.org/oecd/index.asp?lang=en

Departmental Skills Development Plan

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's Skills Development Plan.

Gareth Thomas: I have arranged for the document entitled "DFID Skills Development Plans, 2005–2006" to be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Aircraft Pollution

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research her Department has undertaken into the polluting effects of chemtrails for aircraft.

Elliot Morley: The Department is not researching into chemtrails from aircraft as they are not scientifically recognised phenomena. However, condensation trails (contrails) are known to exist and have been documented since the 1940s. Contrails are composed of ice crystals forming on the small particles and water vapour emitted by aircraft as the result of the combustion process, they form behind high-flying aircraft depending on the temperature and humidity of the atmosphere.
	A major scientific report, "Aviation and the Global Atmosphere", was published in 1999 by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The report assessed the current contribution of aviation to climate change and, based on a range of scenarios and assumptions, forecast its contribution up to 2050. It estimated that contrails covered about 0.1 per cent. of the Earth's surface in 1992 and projected this cover would grow to 0.5 per cent. by 2050 (on middle range assumptions). More recently this work has been updated from the results of the EU 5th Framework Project, TRADEOFF.
	Contrails continue to be the subject of research to help better understand both how they are formed and what effects they have on the atmosphere.

Avian Influenza

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the arrangements are for ministerial responsibility for the State Veterinary Service across England and Wales in (a) normal circumstances and (b) the event of an outbreak of avian influenza.

Ben Bradshaw: I have ministerial responsibility for the State Veterinary Service in both normal circumstances and during animal disease outbreaks.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has overall responsibility for Defra and its agencies.
	Details of how the Prime Minister, other Ministers and the Devolved Administrations are involved in the management of disease emergencies, can be found in Defra's "Exotic Animal Disease Generic Contingency Plan". The contingency plan is on Defra's website.

Flooding

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in what circumstances victims of flooding are eligible for compensation from her Department.

Elliot Morley: The approach adopted by successive governments has been that no compensation is generally payable to those affected by flooding. This reflects the fact that flood defence legislation is based on "permissive powers" i.e. that bodies such as the Environment Agency are empowered to undertake flood defence works but are not obligated to do so.

Non-food Crops

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many non-food crops are grown in England; and what the percentage produced of each sort was (a) by value and (b) by volume in 2004–05.

Elliot Morley: In 2004, at least 11 crops were grown in England for non-food and energy use. The contribution of each of these in terms of production area and value is shown in the following table. Our best estimate of n on-food crop production area in 2004 is approximately 115,000 hectares, 40 per cent. of this area was represented by non-food crop production on set-aside land.
	These figures do not necessarily give the whole picture: a number of crops can be used for either food or non-food uses; non-food crops may be grown on non set-aside land or not declared under any particular scheme; and part of the crop may be used as food while co-products are used as industrial raw materials or fuel.
	
		Estimated areas of non-food crops grown in England, tonnage of seed or biomass produced (tonnes) and estimate of total value (tonnage x £/tonne) in the 2004 cropping season
		
			 Crop Area (ha) Area (percentage) Tonnage (tonnes) Estimated total value(2) (£) Total value (percentage) 
		
		
			 Oilseed Rape 66,468 57.5 (3)(4)199,197 27 million 56.8 
			 Linseed 32,000 27.7 (3)(4)53,864 9.7 million 20.4 
			 High Erucic Acid Oilseed rape 8,430 7.3 (3)39,047 7.4 million 15.6 
			 Papaver Somniferum 1,978 1.7 (3)2,242 692,000 1.5 
			 Hemp 1,539 1.3 (3)8,464 931,000 2.0 
			 Flax 1,426 1.2 (3)2,139 53,000 0.1 
			 Short Rotation Coppice 1,729 1.5 (4)13,832 553,000 1.2 
			 Crambe 862 0.8 (3)758 136,000 0.3 
			 Miscanthus 333 0.3 (4)2,660 90,000 0.2 
			 Barley 456 0.4 (3)2,445 142,000 0.3 
			 Wheat 288 0.3 (3)2,036 118,000 0.2 
			 Essential Oil Crops 73 <0.1 (3)532 746,000 1.6 
			 Total 115,260 
		
	
	(2) Estimated values based on industry derived or estimated market values and tonnage data.
	(3) Declared tonnages by first processor in Defra payment schemes.
	(4) Estimated tonnages based on average yield—note that as oilseed rape and linseed are grown on both set-aside and main regime land, part of the tonnage is declared and part estimated. Much of the SRC and miscanthus would not have reached first harvest by 2004 and will therefore not have delivered the tonnage and value estimated.
	Notes:
	1. The data represents information collated through various Defra payment schemes. However, some crops for non-food use (eg essential oil crops) may be grown outside such schemes and out-with any arable support scheme, in addition some food crops may be diverted to non-food uses (eg wheat for starch). Accurate information on such crops and crop movements is not centrally collated. The data therefore represents an underestimate of the true non-food crop area and production statistics.
	2. Data presented for Short Rotation Coppice and Miscanthus areas represents information collated under the Energy Crops Scheme on planting grant applications and applications under the Woodland Grant Scheme.
	3. Data for non-food crops grown on set-aside and crops for energy grown on non-set-aside land in receipt of payments under the new Energy Aid Payment Scheme was derived from data collated by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). 32,927 ha of rape were grown on main regime land in 2004 for biodiesel production—this is included in the figures for oilseed rape in the table.
	4. Data for Linseed is derived from Defra Statistics for main regime land and the RPA for production on set-aside (999 ha).
	5. Data for flax and hemp areas and production is derived from declarations under the UK Flax and Hemp Fibre Regime.

Expenditure/Revenue (Scotland)

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 12 July 2005, Official Report, column 889W, on expenditure and revenue in Scotland, what further information his Department would need to collect to produce a breakdown of aggregate (a) revenue and (b) borrowing by country and region.

Des Browne: Estimates of expenditure and revenue in Scotland are published by the Scottish Executive in "Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland". The Treasury does not produce a breakdown of aggregate revenue and borrowing by country and region. The Scottish Executive's publication explains the methodological basis of the Scottish Executive research; that a wide range of indicators and assumptions were used; that regional budgetary accounts remain relatively undeveloped; and that there is no requirement for the compilation of UK regional budgetary accounts.

Railtrack

George Osborne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the 10 conditions necessary for him to support the decision to transform Railtrack into a non-equity company limited by guarantee were.

Des Browne: Following the judgment in the Railtrack Private Shareholders' Action Group trial the Department for Transport has made available for public inspection a full set of the documents contained in the trial bundles. The trial bundles were compiled by the legal advisors to the Department and the claimants. Documents containing the conditions are included in the bundles.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is his policy automatically to write-off tax credit overpayments of £380 or less; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC's approach to handling overpayments is set out in its Code of Practice 26: "What happens if we have paid you too much tax credit?" published on the HMRC website at www.hmrc.gov.uk/leaflets/credit.htm

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many overpayments remain outstanding from 2003–04; and to what total value.

Dawn Primarolo: Information about the total value of overpayments from 2003–04 that remain outstanding as at 5 April 2005 can be derived from the "Comptroller and Auditor General's Standard Report on the Accounts of the Inland Revenue 2004–05" This can be found at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/ir-report2005.pdf.

Asylum/Immigration

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness to date of the Dublin II Regulation of 2003 in reducing (a) asylum shopping and (b) the problem of refugees in orbit.

Tony McNulty: The European Commission has recently launched a comprehensive evaluation process to cover all aspects of the Dublin arrangements, including the operation of the secure electronic communications network for Dublin II requests ("DubliNet") and the supporting Eurodac fingerprint database. The resulting report, expected in 2006, will analyse the impact of the Dublin arrangements to draw conclusions on the added value of Dublin II and the Eurodac Regulation EC No. 2725/2000.
	The second Annual Report to the Council and the European Parliament on the activities of the Eurodac Central Unit concluded that Eurodac represents an extremely important tool for a faster and more efficient application of the Dublin arrangements. The report also notes that Eurodac data provide a sound indicator of the phenomenon of "asylum shopping" in member states. Copies of the report can be found in the Libraries. The Home Office's assessment of the report is set out in Explanatory Memorandum 10464/05 sent to the Parliamentary Scrutiny Committees on 14 September 2005.
	Our own assessment of the new Dublin arrangements, supported by Eurodac is favourable. Dublin II and Eurodac enabled us to return 1,982 applicants in 2004 to other European countries without considering their claims ourselves. This is far more effective than the gentleman's agreement which applied until 1997, under which fewer people were removed in a year than the Dublin arrangements have enabled us to remove in a month. While it is not possible to prove to what extent asylum shopping that would otherwise have happened is not happening as a result of the new arrangements, asylum intake across the EU15 has fallen by 21 per cent. between 2003 and 2004 (source IRSS).
	On the question of refugees in orbit, the Dublin II Regulation is based on a mechanism to identify the member state responsible for determining an asylum claim and provides guarantees that identified state will take charge of or take back an asylum seeker within prescribed time limits. In addition, unlike the old Dublin Convention, the regulation reflects the agreement that member states fully accept to take responsibility for an asylum applicant where a procedural time limit is breached. This ensures that asylum applicants do not face prolonged periods of uncertainty.

Border Control

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the merits of introducing a UK border control police force.

Tony McNulty: The Government has no plans at present to create a single border control police force or agency.
	The White Paper "One Step Ahead—A 21st Century Strategy to Defeat Organise Crime" tasked Customs, the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) and the police to work together to develop options for providing more effective border controls through enhanced inter-agency co-operation.
	Noting the distinct and essential responsibilities of each of the three principal border agencies, the White Paper indicated that there were no plans to create a single border agency.
	Nevertheless the White Paper pointed to much closer working between the border agencies. There is already considerable successful integrated working at both a local and national level between the border agencies.
	With this in view, the Border Management Programme has been established to take this forward. It will provide more effective working between the agencies in order to maximise border security while minimising the impact on legitimate traffic.
	In support of this closer working, the e-Borders programme will deliver a fully integrated border control system fit for the 21st century. It will develop a means of capturing and sharing relevant passenger information through compatible systems across Government providing a comprehensive secure system for all the agencies working together at the border.

Border Control

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Government plan to introduce a UK border control police force.

Tony McNulty: The Government have no current plans to create a single border control police force or agency.
	There is already considerable successful integrated working at both a local and national level between the border agencies.
	The White Paper "One Step Ahead—A 21st Century Strategy to Defeat Organise Crime" in March 2003, tasked customs, IND and the police to work together to develop options for providing more effective border controls through enhanced inter-agency co-operation.
	The Border Management programme has been established to take this forward. It will provide more effective working between the agencies in order to maximise border security while minimising the impact on legitimate traffic.
	In support of this, the e-Borders programme will deliver a fully integrated border control system fit for the 21st century. It will develop a means of capturing and sharing relevant passenger information through compatible systems across Government providing a comprehensive secure system for all the agencies working together at the border.

European Return Fund

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress with discussions in the European Council on the minimum standards for return procedures and mechanisms for supporting removal efforts with a European Return Fund to be established by 2007.

Tony McNulty: On 1 September 2005, the European Commission issued a proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and the Council on common standards and procedures in member states for returning illegally staying third country nationals (COM (2005) 391 final). The Commission has presented this proposal and there has been a first exchange of views. The first formal reading of the proposal in the Council will commence in November.
	On 3 May 2005, the Commission issued a proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and Council establishing the European Return Fund for the period 2008–13 as part of the General Management Programme "Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows". The first reading of the proposal in the Council commenced in September. The first reading of provisions that are specific to the Return Fund is expected to be concluded in November. The first reading of those provisions that are common to the four instruments within the General Management Programme is expected to continue into the next presidency of the EU.

Identity Cards

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the graph on page 11 of his Department's document, "Identity Cards Scheme—Benefits Overview" with dates on the time axis; and if he will publish the supporting evidence for the figures given in the graph.

Tony McNulty: The date line to the graph on page 11 of the benefits summary document has been deliberately left out, as we are not in a position to know when Royal Assent is likely to be given to the Bill. This date will obviously influence the start date of the project and the timing of any benefits being realised.
	The graph as it stands is flexible, as it represents annual movements in the benefits accrual. Therefore a reader of the graph could predict any start date for identity cards roll out, and then understand from the graph the progression of benefit accrual from that date.
	The underlying analysis for this graph contains detail that currently could be prejudicial to the future procurement of the identity card scheme, which is driven by Royal Assent being granted.

Visas

James McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the take-up of visas under the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 7 November 2005
	The Scottish Executive is monitoring and evaluating the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme and we are discussing with them how and when information on the scheme will be published.
	As set out in the published policy, the Home Office are passing details of all those who have been granted leave under the scheme to the Scottish Executive. This is to enable them to contact participants at regular intervals.
	The table shows the number of participants in the scheme so far, broken down by those who applied from overseas and those who applied from within the UK. This data is based on internal Management Information and is provisional and subject to change.
	
		
			  Entry clearance(9) In country 
		
		
			 l 25 75 
			 August 30 100 
			 September 20 120 
			 October 30 190 
			 Total 100 485 
		
	
	(9) UKvisas makes every effort to ensure that statistics produced from our "Central Reference System" are accurate. However, the complexity of our global business, including technical failures or occasional inconsistencies in data entry across any of over 150 offices, means we cannot 100 per cent. guarantee accuracy. UKvisas continues to work on IT and working practices to improve the quality of the statistics we provide.
	Note:
	Figures are rounded to the nearest 5.

Housing

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment his Department has made of the potential environmental impact of its plans for new housing developments in the south-east; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The process for preparing regional plans for new development is set out in the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. Accordingly, it is the South East England Regional Assembly which is responsible for appraising the sustainability of alternative development options as part of their drafting of the Regional Spatial Strategy (known as the "South East Plan"). After the Assembly submit their draft Plan to Government, there is further public consultation and testing by an independent Panel before the Plan is finalised by Government.

Regional Fire Control Centres

Roger Gale: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his current estimate is of (a) the capital costs of the construction of a regional network of fire control centres, (b) the capital costs of the closure and relocation of England's 46 control rooms and (c) the revenue costs of running a network of regional fire control centres over their projected 15-year lifecycle.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The business case, on www.odpm.firecontrol.gov.uk, presents the "one-off" and "ongoing" costs for regional controls, which are related to (but not the same as) "capital" and "revenue" figures respectively. Accounting treatment is still under consideration.
	The one-off gross cost of implementing networked regional control centres in England is forecast to be £160 million. This figure includes developing and installing the new ICT infrastructure, the costs associated with transition from existing control rooms to the new arrangements, and project management. The buildings will be leased from developers, who will meet the capital costs of their construction.
	The business case does not contain any capital costs for closing existing control rooms. However, the one-off costs for relocating control room functions have been included in the £160 million cost referred to above.
	The annual operating cost for providing control services with national network of regional centres, under steady state operating conditions, is currently forecast to be approximately £52 million.

Sustainable Development

David Howarth: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his Department's performance against its key sustainable development impacts over the last 12 months.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister played a full part in preparing the UK Sustainable Development Strategy, "Securing the Future", which was launched in March 2005. The UK Sustainable Development Strategy makes clear that sustainable communities represent sustainable development at a local level.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Annual Report describes progress in creating sustainable communities and gives details on our key performance indicators.
	Copies of the UK Sustainable Development Strategy and the Department's Annual Report are in the Library of the House.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will be producing a Sustainable Development Action Plan in December 2005, which will set out the steps the Office is taking to contribute to the delivery of the Strategy, including arrangements for monitoring progress.

Bereavement Benefits

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of men who lost their wives and who claimed for widows' and bereavement benefits prior to 1 April 2001 but whose claims were rejected are now eligible to claim retrospectively for (a) widow's bereavement allowance and (b) bereavement payment; and if he will make a statement on eligibility to backdated widows' and bereavement benefits in cases where the wife of a man died before 1 April 2001.

James Plaskitt: Bereavement benefits were introduced on 9 April 2001 for both men and women. Prior to this date there was no provision to pay widows' benefits to men and this is still the case.
	The Government have decided to offer settlement on claims for discrimination relating to widowed mothers' allowance and widow's payment, but only to those widowers who have an admissible case in the European Court of Human Rights and who satisfy the benefit conditions and made their original claim at the correct time. Widowers who were unsuccessful in the recent cases before the House of Lords were able to take their case to Europe provided they did so by 4 November 2005 (six months from the House of Lords ruling). We are not currently aware of how many cases may be involved.
	Any claims for widow's payment or widowed mothers' allowance by a man whose wife died before 9 April 2001 and who has not previously made an application to the European Court or was not involved with the domestic cases will now be too late. Any claims received from widowers at Jobcentre Plus or social security offices will be subject to the usual late claim rules and will be disallowed because they are out of time. In deciding on this approach we have been guided by previous admissibility decisions of the European Court of Human Rights in widowers' cases.

Housing Benefit

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the annual cost to (a) the Exchequer and (b) local authorities of a 10 per cent. reduction in the housing benefit taper;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the annual cost to (a) the Exchequer and (b) local authorities of a five per cent. reduction in the council tax benefit taper.

James Plaskitt: There will be no cost to local authorities for paying additional benefit as this will be met by the Department. The only impact to local authorities will be associated with the processing and maintenance of additional new claims; the numbers of which are in the table. The Department does not collect management information relating to the cost to authorities of processing and maintaining claims.
	The available information is in the table.
	
		Cost associated with reducing housing benefit (HB) and council tax benefit (CTB) tapers
		
			  Number of new beneficiaries floating on Number of existing beneficiaries gaining Cost in annually managed expenditure (£ million per year) 
		
		
			 Reducing the HB taper from 65 per cent. to 55 per cent. 125,000 875,000 230 
			 Reducing the CTB taper from 20 per cent. to 15 per cent. 370,000 1,115,000 155 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. All figures are for Great Britain.
	2. Beneficiaries are rounded to the nearest five thousand and costs are rounded to the nearest £5 million.
	3. Each beneficiary represents a benefit unit, which can be a single claimant or a couple.
	4. The impact is estimated using the Department's Policy Simulation Model for 2005–06, using data from the 2003–04 Family Resources Survey up-rated to 2005–06 prices, benefit rates and earnings levels, and is calibrated to latest published forecasts and policies.
	5. Results are subject to sampling and reporting errors and estimation assumptions, and are therefore indicative only. No behavioural changes are assumed.

New Deal

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on his Department's contribution to the establishment of the New Deal for Skills.

Margaret Hodge: The Departments for Work and Pensions, Education and Skills, Trade and Industry and Treasury have worked jointly to develop a package of measures that are known collectively as New Deal for Skills. DWP and DfES are taking the work forward as a joint project.
	New Deal for Skills comprises three main strands: Skills Coaching, Skills Passports and the Adult Learning Option. DWP have been actively involved in the design and delivery of the DfES funded Skills Coaching and Skills Passports trials. DWP are then funding and managing the evaluation work for the Skills Coaching and Skills Passports trials. We expect the full evaluation report to be available next summer.
	DWP have lead responsibility for the work to pilot the Adult Learning Option from September 2006. This will test the effectiveness of providing financial support to encourage low skilled Jobcentre Plus customers to take up full-time Level 2 further education courses, where a lack of skills stops them entering the labour market.
	More detail on the New Deal for Skills may be found in "Skills and the Global Economy" and "Skills:Getting on in Business, getting on at work"(Cm6483). Both documents are available in the Library.

Pension Commission

Malcolm Rifkind: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of the Pension Commission has been to date.

Stephen Timms: The Pensions Commission's estimated monthly average costs between April 2003 and September 2005 are as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			 Cost of:  
		
		
			 Pensions Commissioners' time 0 
			 Pensions Commission Secretariat staffing 33,000 
			 Pensions Commission non-staff costs 8,000 
			 Pensions Commission social research 8,000 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 1000.
	2. The Department meets the costs of general office overheads e.g. accommodation, IT etc. Consequently, these costs are not separately identifiable from DWP's running costs.

Blood Donation (Leeds)

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will allocate further resources to encourage people in Leeds North West to give blood.

Liam Byrne: NHS Blood and Transplant Authority (NHSBT) is responsible for managing blood supplies in England and North Wales. NHSBT blood stocks are currently satisfactory and are meeting demands from hospitals. In fact, every hospital demand in the last six years has been met.
	NHSBT plans the resources required to meet demand for blood in advance, and continually reviews and redistributes stock across the country, as necessary. At present no additional resources are required to maintain adequate blood stocks. Maintaining blood stocks and raising awareness among blood donors, is carried out through a range of marketing and communication techniques.

Cancer

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which groups are typically under-represented in the NHS routine breast cancer screening programme; and what steps she is taking to increase the uptake of routine breast cancer screening among these groups.

Rosie Winterton: Evidence shows that groups who are less likely to attend for screening are those who live in deprived areas and women from some ethnic minority groups.
	We have taken a number of steps to encourage those women who are under represented to attend for screening. These include:
	The leaflet, "Breast Screening: The Facts", which is sent out with every invitation for screening, has been translated into 19 languages.
	Many primary care trusts, particularly those in inner-city areas, have local initiatives in place, such as screening in community centres to encourage local women to attend their appointments.
	In 2003, national health service cancer screening programmes published "Inequalities of Access to Cancer Screening: A Literature Review" and they have appointed a member of staff who is responsible for implementing the review's recommendations.
	A communications pack, designed to raise awareness and increase the number of women attending for screening, has been issued to all local NHS breast cancer screening programmes.

Cancer

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department has taken to produce culturally-sensitive breast cancer awareness information in a variety of formats and languages.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 3 November 2005
	It is important that all women are breast aware and report any changes to their doctors. That is why in 1999 we produced the leaflet, "Be Breast Aware", in collaboration with Cancer Research UK, giving advice on this issue. The leaflet has been translated into Bengali, Chinese, Gujarati, Polish, Punjabi, Urdu, Vietnamese, Greek, Hindi and Turkish. Over 3 million copies of the leaflet have been distributed since 1999, over 200,000 of which were in the translated versions.
	In addition to the standard print versions, the Department is committed to providing alternative publication services and we supply on-demand to all requests for alternative formats, such as Braille, audio-tape and large print.

Hand Gels

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the level of use of hand gels by health professionals in hospitals for the purposes of infection control.

Jane Kennedy: The "cleanyourhands" campaign was launched in September 2004 and aims to improve hand hygiene compliance by national health service staff through the use of alcohol handrub. Product consumption (usage) levels are being recorded for all trusts ordering their handrub product through the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency/logistics route and a 65 per cent. increase in handrub consumption occurred from September 2004 to September 2005.

Infection Control Report

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will monitor levels of co-operation by NHS trusts with the director of infection control in enabling publication of her annual report by the deadline announced.

Jane Kennedy: "Winning Ways", published in December 2003, asked all national health service organisations to appoint a director of infection prevention and control (DIPC). However, the Department will not be monitoring the reports from DIPCs, as effective assessment would depend upon local knowledge. Under the proposals to strengthen measures to tackle healthcare associated infections set out in the Health Bill, the Healthcare Commission will take on the responsibility for ensuring compliance with the new code of practice. DIPCs will be key in implementing this code.

Influenza

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what auditing measures her Department has undertaken to ensure that (a) primary care trusts, (b) local authorities and (c) NHS trusts are prepared for an influenza pandemic.

Rosie Winterton: The Department published the revised, "UK Influenza Pandemic Contingency Plan" on 19 October, which will inform the work undertaken at local and national levels to prepare for an influenza pandemic. We also produced in May 2005, Operational Guidance for National Health Service planners on preparing for an influenza pandemic to inform local plans.
	The Department is putting in place procedures to ensure that NHS organisations' plans can be audited for assurance of their capability in planning for and responding to, an influenza pandemic.
	In addition, pandemic influenza exercise programmes have taken place around the country which have enabled NHS organisations to test the plans they have in place. The Health Protection Agency has also developed an off the shelf exercise package for use in testing influenza pandemic preparedness plans.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what powers she has, and under which legislation (a) to prevent large public gatherings, (b) to close football matches and other similar sporting events characterised by mass attendance and (c) to prevent movement of people across large geographical distances in the event of an influenza pandemic.

Rosie Winterton: As explained in "The UK Influenza Pandemic Contingency Plan" (Annex E, paragraphs 8–10), there are powers in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 which could be used in the event of an emergency.
	Those powers are designed to allow the Government to respond quickly and effectively to the most serious emergencies where existing powers prove to be insufficient. There can be no automatic assumption that the Civil Contingency Act powers would need to be used in the event of an influenza pandemic.
	Any use of emergency powers must satisfy a range of robust legal safeguards that ensure their use would be tailored to the specific circumstances at hand. It is therefore not possible, and would be potentially misleading, to comment on any specific measures that could be taken using emergency powers in the event of a pandemic: it would depend on the specific circumstances prevailing at the time.

Mental Health

Edward Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding has been allocated to preventative and early intervention services for children's mental health disorders in (a) Normanton constituency, (b) Wakefield East primary care trust (PCT), (c) Wakefield West PCT, (d) Wakefield district and (e) West Yorkshire in 2005–06.

Liam Byrne: Funding is allocated directly to primary care trust (PCTs). It is for PCTs, in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders, to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.
	The table shows the funding allocations made to the West Yorkshire PCTs, including Eastern Wakefield PCT and Wakefield West PCT, for 2005–06 to 2007–08.
	
		
			  £000 
			  Allocations 
			 West Yorkshire PCTs 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 
		
		
			 Airedale 122,014 147,328 159,132 
			 Bradford City 160,758 195,932 214,724 
			 Bradford South and West 158,353 192,836 210,881 
			 Calderdale 215,534 254,621 275,396 
			 East Leeds 179,743 212,695 230,027 
			 Eastern Wakefield 208,492 255,393 283,337 
			 Huddersfield Central 144,457 172,344 186,412 
			 Leeds North East 160,333 192,073 207,743 
			 Leeds North West 172,126 208,941 228,463 
			 Leeds West 123,183 145,982 157,882 
			 North Bradford 98,680 119,364 129,248 
			 North Kirklees 178,807 215,698 236,133 
			 South Huddersfield 80,382 97,051 104,967 
			 South Leeds 163,518 192,333 208,252 
			 Wakefield West 156,303 189,155 205,849 
			 Total 2,322,682 2,791,746 3,038,445

NHS Budgets (Oxford)

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will visit Oxford to assess the impact of changes proposed in (a) mental healthcare and (b) other local NHS budgets.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 19 October 2005
	My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State (Ms Hewitt) currently has no plans to visit Oxford, as her autumn schedule is now fixed. If my right hon. Friend would like to invite the Secretary of State for a visit then a formal request should be sent to the ministerial visits Unit room 448 Richmond House, 79 Whitehall, London SW1A 2NS, for consideration.

PET Scanners

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many PET scanners are operated by NHS acute trusts, broken down by location; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: There are five positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) scanners and one PET scanner currently operated by national health service trusts.
	Two PET-CT scanners are jointly owned and managed by Guy's and St. Thomas's NHS Trust and King's College London. University College London Hospital NHS Trust, the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust (NHSFT), and University Hospital Birmingham NHSFT also have PET-CT scanners. The one PET scanner is at Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust.
	On 11 October 2005, the Department published "A Framework for the Development of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Services in England". The intention of the framework is to provide guidance to commissioners and potential service providers on the development of services and to ensure that there is equitable access to scans for cancer patients across the country.
	While there are a number of NHS and NHS/independent sector (IS) partnership schemes in development, it has been recognised that there is unequal access to current provision. To address this, £20 million capital funding will be made available to the NHS over two years for investment in PET-CT scanners. An additional 25,000 scans will be purchased annually over five years from the IS as part of the wider IS diagnostic procurement.

Premature Births

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many babies were born prematurely in England in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many babies were born at (a) under 24 weeks, (b) 24 to 28 weeks, (c) 28 to 32 weeks and (d) 32 to 37 weeks in England in each year since 1997.

Liam Byrne: The available information is published in table 21 of the statistical bulletin "NHS Maternity Statistics, England". Figures are available for the financial years 1997–98 and 2000–01 to 2003–04. Copies of the bulletins are available in the Library and on the Department's website at http://www.dh.gov.uk.

Primary Care Trusts

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the impact for patient care in Barnet of (a) a potential merger of Barnet primary care trust (PCT) into a larger PCT and (b) the removal of Barnet PCT's role in providing services; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the impact on patient services of Barnet primary care trust's co-terminosity with other public sector providers including the borough council; and if she will make a statement.

Charles Kennedy: Strategic health authorities (SHAs) have recently submitted their proposals for the re-configuration of primary care trusts (PCTs), which set out how they intend to strengthen their commissioning function. These proposals will be assessed by an independent external panel drawn from and representing a wide range of stakeholder interests. The panel will determine whether the SHA proposals meet the criteria stipulated in the document, "Commissioning a Patient-Led NHS", published in July 2005. If the criteria are judged to have been met, the proposals will go forward to a three month public consultation, in which the wider impact of PCT re-configuration will be considered, including issues surrounding co-terminosity with local authorities and other local partner organisations. No decisions on the reorganisation of PCTs will be taken until this process has been completed,Similarly, no decisions on the future provision of community and primary healthcare services will be taken until after the White Paper on community healthcare services has been published. The White Paper will be informed by the results of the "Your Health, Your Care, Your Say" listening exercise, which is currently under way. Clinical services will continue to be provided by PCTs unless and until those PCTs decide otherwise. These decisions would be driven locally, following our White Paper deliberations and will only be implemented following full local public and staff consultation.

Primary Care Trusts

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cumulative deficit is for the (a) Dacorum Primary Care Trust, (b) West Hertfordshire Hospital Trust and (c) Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire Strategic Health Authority; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The cumulative breakeven position for 2004–05 for West Hertfordshire Hospital Trust is a deficit of £14.4 million.
	The term cumulative deficit does not apply to strategic health authorities (SHAs) and primary care trusts (PCTs). The 2004–05 outturn of the PCT and SHA against the revenue resource limit is shown in the table.
	
		
			 National health service organisation 2004–05 under/(over) spend against the revenue resource limit (£ thousand) 
		
		
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA 1,976 
			 Dacorum PCT (4,840) 
		
	
	Source:
	2004–05 summarisation schedules.
	The term "cumulative deficit" does not apply to SHAs or PCTs. Therefore, there is no cumulative deficit position available for SHAs and PCTs. Therefore, the 2004–05 outturn of the SHA and the PCT against the revenue resource limit for 2004–05 has been given.
	If a SHA or PCI reports a deficit position in one year, that deficit is recovered by deducting it from the resources available to it in the subsequent year. Therefore, its current performance represents its cumulative position.
	If, on the other hand, a NHS trust reports a deficit, it has its income reduced in the following year. In addition to this, it has a statutory duty to make good that deficit by reporting a surplus to offset it within the following two years, or four years by exception. It is the net deficit incurred during these years that is defined as the cumulative deficit for NHS trusts.
	The financial position of the NHS as a whole ended 2004–05 with an overall deficit of around £250 million. This has to be seen in relation to the overall NHS spending; it represents only around 0.4 per cent. of resources. This and the latest available data on the 2004–05 financial position for all NHS organisations—SHAs, PCTs and NHS trusts—was put in the public domain on 19 September. It was based on the 2004–05 summarisation schedules that were released to the Financial Times and made available on the Department's website.
	It is the responsibility of SHAs to deliver both overall financial balance for their local health communities and to ensure each and every body achieves financial balance. However, there is a degree of flexibility in how this is managed at a local level. In circumstances where a surplus cannot be generated in the following year, SHAs can agree a recovery plan which phases the recovery of deficits over a number of years. This would require other NHS organisations within the health economy to underspend over the same period. Any such arrangements would have to be subject to the agreement of local providers, commissioners and the managing SHA.

Schizophrenia

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the incidence of death from a respiratory infection in people with schizophrenia compared with the standardised mortality rates for respiratory infection.

Rosie Winterton: While no assessment has been made by the Department, an independent study by Harris and Barraclough—British Journal of Psychiatry (1998), 173, 11–53—describes the increased risk of premature death from natural and unnatural causes for the common mental disorders. Analysing six studies which looked at respiratory disease as cause of death among patients with schizophrenia, the standardised mortality ratio was found to be significantly raised.
	In the "Choosing Health" White Paper, 2004, the Government recognise the importance of physical health care for people with severe mental illness. This is why £7 million has been allocated to Spearhead primary care trusts to support them in improving physical health checks for this group.

Your Health, Your Care, Your Say

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether representations from members of the public to her Department concerning proposals to alter healthcare provision by Suffolk West Primary Care Trust will be considered as part of the Your Health, Your Care, Your Say consultation exercise;
	(2)  how many members of the public from the Sudbury area of Suffolk have been selected to take part in the Your Health, Your Care, Your Say consultation exercise.

Rosie Winterton: The provision of healthcare in Suffolk West is a matter for the Suffolk West Primary Care Trust and its local residents can contribute to the consultation, "Modernising Healthcare in West Suffolk" until 12 December. Members of the public can take part in the Your Health, Your Care, Your Say consultation in various ways, including an online questionnaire at: www.nhs.uk/yoursay.
	Information on how many members of the public from the Sudbury area of Suffolk have been selected to take part in the Your Health, Your Care, Your Say consultation exercise is not available.

Community and Voluntary Sector Funding

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what date the Department of Social Development Taskforce Report on funding for the community and voluntary sector will be published.

David Hanson: In March 2005, the Government published 'Positive Steps', its response to "Investing Together", the Report of the Task Force on Resourcing the Voluntary and Community Sector. It sets out a significant agenda for change and investment to help ensure that the voluntary and community sector is better placed to cope with social and economic change and imminent changes to the funding environment. An Implementation Group consisting of Senior Officials will oversee implementation of the actions contained within the report. An Annual Report on progress will be presented to the Joint Government/Voluntary and Community Sector Forum.

Contraceptive Advice

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what obligations school nurses are under to inform school staff when they are approached by 11-year-old girls seeking contraceptive treatment on school property.

Shaun Woodward: None, however given the girls' age the school nurse is required to discuss such cases with social services in accordance with child protection policies and procedures which implement the Department's guidance on Co-operating to Safeguard Children issued in May 2003.

Multiple Sclerosis

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funding has been allocated by each health board in the Province for disease modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis in each of the last five years.

Shaun Woodward: The health and social services boards have advised that expenditure on disease modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis in each of the last five years was as shown in the following table:
	
		
			  £ 
			  Eastern Northern Southern Western NI Total 
		
		
			 2000–01 1,178,036 749,244 401,934 292,179 2,621,393 
			 2001–02 1,538,340 1,076,476 610,937 431,455 3,657,208 
			 2002–03 1,435,745 993,850 558,862 438,132 3,426,589 
			 2003–04 1,544,745 1,150,891 714,420 439,930 3,849,986 
			 2004–05 1,637,315 1,267,089 796,111 565,149 4,265,664

Road Safety

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list locations of traffic calming schemes that the road service expects to introduce in the Province within the next 12 months.

Shaun Woodward: The chief executive of the roads service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the hon. Lady in response to this question.
	Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin to Mrs Iris Robinson dated 8 November 2005
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question regarding the locations of traffic calming schemes that Road Service expects to introduce in the Province within the next 12 months.
	I have been asked to reply as this issue falls within my responsibility as chief Executive of Roads Service.
	In relation to the provision of traffic calming measures, I am sure you will appreciate that, although the funding allocated to traffic calming has been increased significantly year on year, demand far outstrips our capacity to meet all such requests and priorities have to be established. We do this by taking account of a number of factors: the accident history of the site, with additional weighting being applied to collisions involving vulnerable road users; the speed, volume and type of traffic; and the characteristics of the general area. Of these we give the highest priority to safety because we believe it is only right to treat sites with an accident history before those with a reasonably good safety record. Implicitly, this assessment process takes cognisance of the overall cost of road traffic collisions to society in general. This approach has led to a substantial reduction in collisions and personal injuries at those sites, over a number of years.
	Table A attached lists the locations of traffic calming schemes Roads Service has programmed for completion this financial year. Our programme of traffic calming works for 2006/2007 has not yet been finalised and Table B attached is a preliminary list of schemes under consideration at this stage. Naturally, implementation of these schemes will be subject to the successful completion of the statutory processes including local consultation and the resolution of any objections.
	I hope this information is helpful.
	A—Traffic Calming Schemes Programmed for Completion in 2005–06
	A26 Newry Road, Banbridge
	Alexander Park, Katesbridge
	Altcar Park, Londonderry
	Antrim Road Lurgan
	Armagh Road, Charlemont
	Ashgrove Road, Portadown
	Ashgrove schemes, Newry
	Ballycoleman area, Strabane (phase 2)
	Ballyeaston Village, Newtownabbey
	Ballygomartin Road, Belfast
	Ballyhenry/Glenvarna, Newtownabbey
	Ballylinderry Village, Lisburn
	Ballylough Road, Annsborough
	Ballymartin Village
	Ballystrudder, Islandmagee
	Bangor Road, Newtownards
	Bloomfield Park, Londonderry
	Brackaville Road, Coalisland
	Brookdale Crescent, Londonderry
	Brookdale Park, Londonderry
	Brookmount Road, Omagh
	Burnside Village, Newtownabbey
	Burnthill/Richmond area, Newtownabbey
	Cable Street, Londonderry
	Callan Bridge Road, Armagh
	Carncastle, Larne
	Carnvue Road, Newtownabbey
	Cashelhill Park, Londonderry
	Cavehill Road, Belfast
	Chancellor's Road, Newry
	Chichester Park area, Ballymena
	Church Road Glengormley, Newtownabbey
	Church Road, Londonderry
	Churchill/Woodside, Portadown
	Clooney Road, Greysteel, Co Londonderry
	Cloughmills, Ballymoney
	Coleshill, Enniskillen
	Colinbridge area, Newtownabbey
	Conlig Village, North Down
	Crevenish Road, Kesh
	Culcavy Village, Lisburn
	Cunninghams Lane, Dungannon
	Darkly Road, Keady
	Dove Gardens, Londonderry
	Ederowen Park, Londonderry
	Elaghmore Park, Londonderry
	Elmwood Road, Londonderry
	Fairview Road, Newtownabbey
	Fern Park, Londonderry
	Gallows Street, Dromore
	Gilford Road, A50, Portadown
	Glen caw Park, Londonderry
	Glengoland Estate, Lisburn
	Godfrey Avenue, North Down
	Gransha Road, Castlereagh
	Green Park Estate, Armagh
	Harberton Park, Belfast
	Hatmore Park, Londonderry
	Heather Road, Londonderry
	High Street, Newry
	Highfield Drive area, Belfast
	Hill Street area Lurgan
	Hillsborough Road/Princess Street, Dromore
	Hospital Road, Omagh (phase 2)
	Huntley Road, Banbridge
	Inverary Area, Belfast
	Iris Drive, Belfast
	Killowen Street, Kyles Brae and Shuttle Hill, Coleraine
	Killyman Village, County Tyrone
	Kilrea Gateways, Kilrea, Co Londonderry
	King Street, Newcastle
	Knockeden/Flush, Belfast
	Knockmore Estate, Lisburn
	Kylemore Park, Londonderry
	Lack Village, County Fermanagh
	Lake Street, Lurgan
	Leafair Gardens, Londonderry
	Leafair Park, Londonderry
	Lenamore Pass, Londonderry
	Lenamore Road, Londonderry
	Loopland Park, Belfast
	Main Street Hamiltonsbawn
	Manse Road, Carrowdore
	Mayfair, Castlereagh
	Meeting Street, Dromore
	Mill Street, Ballymena
	Milltown Road, Burren
	Moneyreagh Village, Castlereagh
	Moss Road, Lisburn
	Mount Merrion Avenue, Castlereagh
	Moygashel Village, Dungannon
	Newtownbreda Village, Castlereagh
	Newry Street/Newry Road, Kilkeel
	Old Warrenpoint Road, Newry
	Parkhall Road and Steeple Estate, Antrim
	Peggys Loaning, Banbndge
	Pomeroy, County Tyrone
	Portadown Road, Tandragee
	Portaferry Village
	Queens Park, Newtownabbey
	Rathgill Park, North Down
	Rathmore Drive Rathcoole, Newtownabbey
	Scarva Street, Banbridge (Reilly Street to Limewood Roundabout)
	Scrabo Estate Stage 1
	Scrabo Estate Stage 2
	Shrigley Road, Killyleagh
	Sion Mills village (phase 2)
	Sloan Street, Lurgan
	Springfarm/Durnish Road, Antrim
	Springfield Park, Belfast
	Springhill Park, Strabane
	Stanley's Walk, Londonderry
	Stewartstown Village, Cookstown
	Stoneyford Village, Lisburn
	Sunnyside Street, Belfast
	Tullybrannigan Estate, Newcastle
	Upper Whiterock Road, Belfast
	Warden/Summerfield/Suffolk Street and Fisherwick Gardens, Ballymena
	Westland Road, Belfast
	Windmill Heights, Enniskillen
	B—Preliminary List of Traffic Calming Schemes Programmed for Completion in 2006–07
	Ardenlee Avenue, Belfast
	Backwood Road, Lisburn
	Ballintoy Gateways, Co Antrim
	Ballyholme Road, North Down
	Ballykeel 1, Ballymena
	Ballyregan Road, Castlereagh
	Barnetts Road, Belfast
	Belmont Church Road, Belfast
	Benmore Drive, Belfast
	Bracken Drive, Newtownabbey
	Bryansford Road, Newcastle
	Carnhill (part), Londonderry
	Carnhill Road, Newtownabbey
	Carrickmore Village, County Tyrone
	Cashel Drive, Newtownabbey
	Castle Park Road, North Down
	Causeway End Road, Lisburn
	Cedar Street, Londonderry
	Chapel Street/Boat Street, Newry
	Circular Road, Belfast
	Cladymore Village
	Clandeboye Road, North Down
	Clarawood Park, Belfast
	College Hill and Portadown Road, Armagh
	Connsbrook Avenue, Belfast
	Cranley Road, North Down
	Creggan Village, Antrim
	Crumlin, Antrim
	Derrykeighan, Ballymoney
	Doran's Hill, Newry
	Downpatrick Road, Crossgar
	Drumnacanvy Village
	Duncairn Gardens, Belfast
	Earlswood Road, Belfast
	Erin vale Avenue, Belfast
	Fintona Village, County Tyrone
	Fort. St/Old Newry Rd, Banbridge.
	Glenview Avenue, Londonderry
	Glenview Street, Londonderry
	Gracehill, Ballymena
	Harbour Road, Kilkeel
	Hawthorn Street, Londonderry
	Holland Drive, Belfast
	Irish Street Estate, Londonderry
	Kevlin Road, Omagh, County Tyrone
	Kildrum Gardens, Londonderry
	Killinchy Village
	Killough Village
	Knockenagh Avenue, Newtownabbey
	Laurelvale Village
	Lawrencetown Village
	Lenaghan area, Castlereagh
	Lincoln Courts, Londonderry
	Lockview Road area, Belfast
	Loughgall Village
	Loughinisland Village
	Lower Braniel Road, Castlereagh
	Lower Springfarm Road, Antrim
	Macfin, Ballymoney
	Main Street/Central Promenade, Newcastle
	Manse Road, Kilkeel
	Meadowbrook Estate, Craigavon
	Millbrook/Drumahoe Road, Larne
	Moneyslane Village
	Mountnorris Village
	Norburgh Park, Londonderry
	Old Ballygowan Road, Comber
	Parsonage Road, Kircubbin
	Poyntzpass Village
	Prehen Park, Londonderry
	Railway Street/Glen Link, Comber
	Rathkeele Way, Londonderry
	Rathkeltair Road, Downpatrick
	Rathlin Drive, Londonderry
	Roemill Road, Limavady
	Rooney Road, Kilkeel
	Saintfield
	Scarva Street, Banbridge (Commercial Road to Reilly Street)
	Scotch Street Village
	Scrogg Road, Kilkeel
	Scroggy Road, Limavady
	Skipperstone Road, North Down
	Southway, Londonderry
	Stirling Avenue, Castlereagh
	Straid Village, Newtownabbey
	Town centre, Ballymena
	Upper Movilla Street/Old Movilla Road, Newtownards
	Upper Waterloo Road, Larne
	Victoria Road/Clifton Road, Bangor
	Waringstown Village
	Willowvale Gardens, Belfast
	Windsor Avenue area, Belfast

School Transport

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent by each of the education and library boards in Northern Ireland on the provision of school transport for primary school children who leave school at 2.00 pm in each year since 2000.

Angela Smith: Information with regard to pupils finishing school at 2.00 pm who are eligible for school transport assistance is not available in the format requested. However, on the basis of boards' expenditure figures it is estimated that the cost of transporting these pupils by board vehicles was as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			  BELB NEELB SEELB SELB WELB Total 
		
		
			 2000–01 0.2124 0.2962 0.2551 0.6562 0.883 2.3029 
			 2001–02 0.2691 0.3120 0.3234 0.6533 1.0199 2.5777 
			 2002–03 0.763 0.5766 0.243 0.9506 1.146 2.9925 
			 2003–04 0.1131 0.5985 0.7019 0.9287 1.0181 3.3603 
			 2004–05 0.1166 0.7174 0.3523 0.9004 1.1284 3.2151

Teacher Training

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent on teacher training in the Province in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: Funds allocated for teacher training in Northern Ireland in each of the last five financial years are provided in the table.
	
		Funds allocated for teacher training in Northern Ireland between 2001–02 and 2005–06
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 Actual allocation  
			 2001–02 31.855 
			 2002–03 32.409 
			 2003–04 35.129 
			 2004–05 36.057 
			  
			 Estimated allocation  
			 2005–06 41.090

16 to 18-year-olds

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what proportion of young people aged 16 to 18 were (a) in full-time education, (b) in employment, (c) in training and (d) not in education, employment or training in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority area.

Bill Rammell: Tables showing numbers and proportions of 16 and 17-year-olds in (a) full-time education and (c) work based learning (e.g. apprenticeships) are available at local authority level for 1997 onwards. These were published in the Statistical First Release "Participation in education and training by 16 and 17 year olds in each local area in England". Figures for 18-year-olds are not available at a local level.
	The publication is accessible on the DfES website via the link:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000568/index.shtml
	The specific figures are available through the following link:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000568/SFR11–2005tables_lea.xls
	Information for young people (b) in employment and (d) not in education, employment or training (NEET) are not available at local authority level.

Further Education

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when (a) the Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education, (b) the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Skills and (c) she was informed orally or in writing of the conclusions of the Learning and Skills Development Agency's report entitled "The Funding Gap—Funding in schools and colleges for full-time students aged 16 to 18"; and if she will make available the minutes of discussions on the report.

Bill Rammell: The Learning and Skills Development Agency's report was commissioned by the Learning and Skills Council as part of their agenda for change proposals. My predecessor and the former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Skills were made aware of the conclusion of the work being undertaken by LSDA to assess the size of the gap in early March 2005 and the Secretary of State was informed shortly after. However, there were no detailed discussions of the conclusions of the report until the end of June 2005, shortly before the report was made public. There are no minutes of discussions on this report. The Minister of State for Schools and 14–19 Learning signalled in her statement to the House of Commons on 21 July that we intend to explore the scope for addressing the technical anomalies between the school sixth form and further education funding systems. We aim to announce decisions on the way forward shortly.

Further Education

Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her most recent assessment is of the comparative performance of students studying in (a) sixth-form colleges, (b) further education colleges and (c) sixth-forms in schools; and if she will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: Comparable data for sixth form colleges (SFCs), general further education colleges (GFECs) and sixth-forms in schools are available for people studying for GCE and VCE A/AS-levels and Key Skills at level 3 qualifications.
	When data are adjusted for prior attainment (average GCSE grade attained in year 11) there is a small performance advantage for SFCs over schools (about one tenth of a grade in each A-level taken) and for schools over GFECs (about one sixth of a grade in each A-level taken).
	Further information can be found in paragraphs 85 to 90 of the DfES document: "Success for All Delivery Plan—Evidence Report".
	(http://www.successforall.gov.uk/index.cfm?pg=160)

Learning and Skills Council

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the savings to be made by the Learning and Skills Council as a result of the changes to running costs announced on 16 September in (a) 2005–06, (b) 2006–07 and (c) 2007–08.

Bill Rammell: The LSC's core administration costs have fallen steadily from 4.6 per cent. of total funding in 2001–02, to 2.5 per cent. of its planned total budget in 2005–06. The LSC's Administration Budget for 2005–06 is almost £255 million. The Administration Budget for future years was set out in the Secretary of State's Grant Letter issued on 31 October 2005. This Grant Letter provides the LSC with just over £252 million (2.4 per cent. of planned total budget) for 2006–07 and just under £240 million (2.2 per cent. of planned total budget) for 2007–08 to cover its administration costs including the cost of capital and depreciation. This reflects efficiency savings already agreed. It is too early to say what further savings will arise. The overall Administration Budget will be reassessed when the results of the consultation on the LSC's "Agenda for Change", particularly its restructuring, are finalised. Further savings could then be released to the sector.

Nursery Places

Brooks Newmark: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in Braintree constituency attended nursery in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and how many children in Braintree have taken up free nursery places since the policy was introduced.

Beverley Hughes: All four-year-olds have been entitled to a free early education place since 1998 and from April 2004 this entitlement was extended to all three-year-olds. The free entitlement consists of a minimum of five two and a half hour sessions per week for 33 weeks of the year for six terms before statutory school age, which is the term following their fifth birthday.
	Some local authorities may additionally offer subsidised child care places but this information is not collected centrally.
	Figures for January 2005 show that all four–year-old children receive some form of free entitlement. The figure for three–year-olds is 96 per cent. This covers all maintained, private, voluntary and independent providers and represents 535,100 three-year-olds and 568,300 four-year-olds.
	The available information on the number of free nursery education places taken up by three and four-year-olds in Braintree parliamentary constituency area and Essex local authority is shown in the tables. For 2005, information for private and voluntary providers is available for Essex but not currently available for Braintree constituency.
	The latest figures on early education places for three and four-year-olds in England were published in Statistical First Release 43/2005 "Provision for children under five years of age in England—January 2005 (final)" in September, which is available on my Department's website www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/
	
		Number of free nursery education places(41) taken up by three and four-year-olds—Braintree parliamentary constituency. Position in January each year.
		
			  Three-year-olds Four–year-olds 
			  Maintained nursery and primary schools(42) Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers(43) Maintained nursery and primary schools(44) Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers(45) 
		
		
			 2004 150 940 970 400 
			 2005 150 n/a 890 n/a 
		
	
	n/a = Not available.
	(41) Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 or 100 as appropriate.
	(42) Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools1 Census.
	(43) Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census.
	(44) Headcount of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census.
	(45) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census.
	
		Number of free nursery education places(46) taken up three and four-year-olds—local authority Essex. Position in January each year
		
			  Three–year-olds Four-year-olds 
			  Maintained nursery and primary schools(47) Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers Total three-year-olds Maintained nursery and primary schools(48) Other maintained private, voluntary and independent providers Total four-year-olds 
		
		
			 1997 1,600 n/a 1,600 n/a n/a (49)14,000 
			 1998 1,900 n/a 1,900 n/a n/a (49)15,000 
			 1999 2,000 n/a 2,000 n/a n/a (49)15,200 
			 2000 2,000 (50)0 2,000 n/a n/a (49)15,100 
			 2001 2,000 (50)220 2,200 n/a n/a (49)15,100 
			 2002 2,000 (50)6,700 8,700 10,400 (49)4,700 15,100 
			 2003 2,000 (50)9,500 11,500 10,400 (51)4,600 15,000 
			 2004 2,000 (52)9,700 11,700 10,500 (53)4,500 15,000 
			 2005 1,900 (52)10,000 11,900 9,900 (53)4,500 14,400 
		
	
	n/a = Not available.
	(46) Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 or 100 as appropriate.
	(47) Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools Census.
	(48) Headcount of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools Census.
	(49) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise.
	(50) Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise.
	(51) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census supplementary data collection exercise and the Annual Schools Census.
	(52) Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools Census.
	(53) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools Census.
	Changes in pupil figures may arise from changes to the underlying population in the local authority area and other factors. However, my Department does not publish population figures for individual age cohorts at sub-national level because of the unreliability of the underlying population estimates. The Office for National Statistics publish sub-national population estimates in five-year age bands.

School Admissions

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research she has commissioned on the effect of current school admissions policies on house prices in the vicinity of popular schools.

Jacqui Smith: The Secretary of State has not commissioned specific research of this type. However, we are aware of research by Professor Steven Machin and Dr. Steve Gibbons in 2001 which shows that more affluent parents, who can afford to move into the catchment area of popular schools, drive up house prices. This makes it harder for children from disadvantaged backgrounds to secure places.
	Our White Paper "Higher Standards, Better Schools For All—More choice for parents and pupils" outlines our proposals to extend choice and open up access to schools for more parents, underpinned by a fair admissions system.

Schools (Hemel Hempstead)

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of the working age population in (a) Hemel Hempstead constituency and (b) Hertfordshire hold a qualification (i) at degree level and (ii) above degree level.

Bill Rammell: This data is not available in precisely the form requested. Table 1 shows the proportion of the working age population with a level 4/level 5 qualification 1 , as their highest qualification held: so for those with both first and higher degree qualifications, only the latter is recorded (under "Level 5"). Data comes from the Local Labour Force Survey for 2004–05.
	1 Level 4 qualifications include first degree, NVQ level 4 and sub-degree higher education qualifications such as teaching and nursing certificates, HNC/HNDs, other HE diplomas and other qualifications at level 4. Level 5 qualifications include higher degrees and NVQ level 5.
	
		Table 1: Proportion of the working age population holding a level 4/level 5 qualification, as their highest qualification held.
		
			 Percentage 
			  Level 4 Level 5 
		
		
			 Hemel Hempstead 26.2 (57)6.4 
			 Hertfordshire 25.5 6.9 
			 England 20.6 5.3 
		
	
	(57) This estimate is based on a small sample size and is therefore subject to a higher degree of sampling variability. It should therefore be treated with caution.
	Note:
	The working age population is defined as males and females aged 16–64 and 16–59 respectively.
	Source:
	Local Labour Force Survey for 2004/05.